What's Done in the Dark
by Seashell110
Summary: -TidusxYuna- When bad boy Tidus Kingston starts taking an interest in introverted Yuna Braska, she's terrified that he'll discover her horrible secret. As the pressure of her stressful life builds, how far will she go to keep it from him?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Aaaaand, after a three-year abscence, Seashell110 has finally decided to return to with another original work.

Why, you ask? Well, I haven't had a good book in a while so I've come here to satisfy my literary cravings. And, reading these works inspired me to write my own. It's also a good way to show you guys how much my writing has changed. I'm definitely not twelve years old anymore, and I've had lots of good critiques and help from my creative writing class to get better.

So anyway, I won't bore you with the author's note. Tell me what you think, guys. :)

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Kay thanks.

**Chapter 1**

Yuna Braska's jeans were riding dangerously low.

Straddling the back of a wooden chair, she nuzzled the curve of her jawline into her folded arms. If one craned their neck just so, the waistband of her hot pink La Perla thong became visible, which is exactly what Tidus Kingston was attempting to see.

"Nice," he muttered appreciatively.

However, Yuna's lingerie was not all that deserved recognition. Her shoulder-length chesnut hair contrasted beautifully with her milky complexion, and embedded in the middle of her aristocraticly angled face were two eyes--one sapphire and one emerald--that represented both halves of her mixed race. Yuna was painfully and irrevocably stunning.

Though, appraising the Underwear of the Hot Classmate in Front of You was merely an activitity to deliver Tidus through the rest of his AP Biology lecture without falling asleep. With only a half cup of a caramel latte to support his heavy eyelids, that possibillity seemed to get slimmer by the minute.

Without warning, an elbow nudged him in the ribcage, just as he was beginning to doze off.

"Late night last night, bruddah?" Wakka Hydra's thick, Besaidian drawl rung in his ears.

Tidus blinked twice, then rubbed his eyes with a large, tanned knuckle. "Something like that."

In actuality, Tidus had passed out sometime around one in the morning after polishing off a good amount of Absolut in an effort to relax after a long blitzball game. Sometime while doing this, he remembered calling Wakka in a drunken stupor. Yevon only knew what he'd said to him.

"Well, you sounded pretty shit-faced to me, ya?" Wakka grinned encouragingly, as if Tidus deserved a trophy. "I kind of figured you had a little company, y'know?"

Tidus snorted. Right. He didn't understand Wakka's disgusting habit of indulging in drunk hook-ups. He lost shreds of dignity every time he did it, though Tidus knew his spikey-headed friend was stupidly unaware.

In front of them, the teacher droned on. Thankfully enough, she didn't require any note-taking for today, but advised that the class pay attention anyway. Of course.

"Hey, T." Rikku Ashcroft turned her head around from her position next to Yuna at their lab table in front of them. Her blonde hair was piled rather adorably atop her head in an artfully messy bun. With an angelic, heart-shaped face, wide green eyes and pouty pink lips, Rikku was the image of innocence. But Tidus knew her better than others--considering their long-withstanding friendship from naptime to Newports--and he also knew that underneath her chaste appearance lurked a wild and daring Al Bhed.

Tidus lifted his dishwater blonde eyebrow in acknowledgement. She handed him a folded piece of paper, trying and failing to be discreet. The teacher, in the midst of a vivid detailing of scientific discoveries in Killika forest, remained oblivious.

When Tidus took it and unfolded it, Wakka leaned nosily over his shoulder.

_Drive Yuna home? I have to go straight to work. :(_

Tidus knew better than to not anticipate Rikku's irresponsibillity, but he still couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. This counted as the third time in a week that he'd serve as a last-minute taxi. His brow creasing, he waited until Rikku was looking and then raised his middle finger at her in protest. Wakka chuckled into his gigantic palm.

"Please?" Rikku mouthed, widening her already large eyes.

Tidus shook his head and looked down, but then looked back up and rolled his eyes at Rikku's persistence. He gestured for her not to worry about it. Yuna and him weren't the closest of friends. She was Rikku's cousin and from time to time she'd hang out with him, Rikku, Wakka and the rest of the gang, but she her introverted personallity kept her inside her room most of the time. Tidus found himself wondering on random occasions what she did with her free time, then again, that was none of his business.

Tidus's brief reverie was interrupted by Ms. What's-Her-Name's clipped voice. "Think you could possibly find time to listen?" She stood directly in front of his lab table, and her dorky ensemble--consisting of mom jeans and an awkwardly-fit polo shirt--obscured his view of anything else.

"I am listening," Tidus insisted, but seemed to be holding back an eye roll as he said it.

"Really?" The teacher, whose name Tidus simply could not place, folded her arms and glared at him accusingly. "Because I'd find it awfully hard to talk, pass notes, _and_ listen at the same time. But I guess you must be outstanding at multi-tasking."

Tidus subconsciously crumpled the piece of paper in his hand, then offered it to her impatiently, as if just to humor her reading-it-out-loud-to-the-class cliché. But instead she took it and retreated, narrowing her eyes at all of his bad-ass, seventeen-year-old boyness. She shortly resumed her lecture.

Rikku turned around and smiled apologetically. Tidus put his head down. He couldn't wait to fucking graduate.

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Yuna ran a dark mascara brush through her eyelashes. Leaning over a sink in the girl's bathroom and staring at her reflection, she'd never been more repulsed in her life. Her face was oily, her nose crooked, her clevage barely recognizable, and she swore that she could see a slight roll of fat underneath her chin.

Angrily, she reached into her Marc by Marc Jacobs hobo bag that was perched on the edge of the sink and and retrieved her large hair brush. She ran it through her tangled hair forcefully, then shoved it back where it came from along with her mascara.

_When did I get so _ugly_? _Yuna thought, leaning in closer to the mirror to get a better look. Squinting, she could just make out a small red zit forming near her left eyebrow.

Before she could ponder her imperfections any longer, the door to the bathroom swung open.

"Hey," Lulu Tyde said pleasantly. Yuna had known Lulu since the fifth grade, and constantly lived in her and her own cousin, Rikku's, shadow, feeling that she was the odd one out of their trio. Lulu had been blessed with the best curves known to woman; with a D-cup, small waist, and perfectly sculpted backside, she had to be the most sought-after female in the entire school. Her raven black hair fell just past her hips, and she usually wore it half-braided and half-loose. Her eye makeup was heavy and dark. She was sickeningly gorgeous. "Rikku wanted me to tell you that you're riding home with Tidus, by the way."

"Whatever," Yuna responded distractedly. She hadn't really seen that much of Tidus until the beginning of this school year, when Rikku finally nailed down a solid job at Rin's Travel Agency, south of Zanarkand High School. Her hours usually started directly after school and continued on until right after dinnertime, leaving Yuna with no car and no other way to get home, except through Tidus.

Lulu's gaze became concerned. "Are you okay, Yuna?" she asked in her throaty voice. She stood at the sink next to her, and began rifling through her own satchel. "You've been a little...off, lately."

Yuna stared straight ahead in to the mirror. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just worried about my audition tomorrow." That was partly true. Yuna had been a gifted actress since she was ten years old, and had just recently gotten an audition at Zanarkand Dome's Performing Arts Center for a scholarship to the University of Bevelle. It could make or break her. But Lulu, nor anyone else, could know the other reason for her stress.

"Okay," Lulu said easily, running a black eyeliner pencil across her already-lined lower eyelid. "But if you need someone to talk to, you know where to find me." Lulu turned to face Yuna, offering a purple-lipsticked smile.

"Yeah, thanks." Yuna smiled back weakly. She really did appreciate Lulu.

As soon as she exited, Yuna quickly ran into a bathroom stall with her purse, locking the door behind her. She kneeled down on the floor. Her dark-wash Citizens of Humanity jeans squeezed her upper thighs tightly in protest. She needed release. Now.

Working deftly, Yuna tied her hair back into a sloppy ponytail and pinned her razored bangs above her forehead. She took a deep breath, leaned over the porcelain toilet and jammed her finger down her throat. She gagged once, then twice, before an onslaught of her lunch and most of her breakfast poured into the bowl in front of her. She spat a couple of times for good measure, then flushed the toilet.

Yuna had never felt better. It was just a small habit she'd picked over the summer, but it sure was effective. She'd gone down a size in jeans already, and hadn't had any severe side effects. Maybe a little fatigue. It was better than being a fat, useless, loser.

Releasing her hair from its restraints, she got up promptly and then left the bathroom, hurrying to meet up with Tidus at the front of the school.

No one would ever have to know.

**A/N:** Sorry if it's short lol. I just wanted something brief to introduce both main characters, and I wanted to get the feel of writing back. So I was just testing myself. Please tell me what you think guys, it all helps. I need feedback if I'm gonna keep continuing or I won't know what to work on. :)

It's good to be back.

-Shelbie Kelly(Seashell110)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Well...I haven't gotten a whole lot of feedback, but that's no excuse for not writing a second chapter. :)

**Chapter 2**

Gippal Brass ran a gloved hand through his blonde spikes as he leaned against the hot leather of his motorcycle seat. The specialized machina was customized and constructed specifically for him by his own late father. Gippal cherished it deeply, and constantly babied it.

"Hey, cutie." Rikku's small frame came into view as she walked gracefully from the back of the school down the row of machinized sport cars and old, beat-up hand-me-down vehicles. Her cheeks were a healthy shade of rose from the mild fall breeze. Gippal appraised her perky B-cups in her tight yellow T-shirt bouncing in perverse sychronization with her cute, little hips.

"Feeling flirtatious today?" Gippal flipped the hem of her kelly green peasant skirt as she stopped in front of him. God, she was adorable.

Rikku smirked and adjusted the tote bag on her shoulder. "Feeling conceited today?"

"Please." Rikku had been Gippal's sort-of play toy for the past month. They both mutually saw their relationship as nothing more than friends with not-quite benefits. The way she teased Gippal made him insane. They hadn't even kissed, for Yevon's sake! But Gippal knew how girls like her were--with their little hard-to-get overtures before the real show began. She would realize what he had to offer, soon enough. Gippal was sure of it.

"Do you need a lift home?" Gippal offered, smoothing his hand over the long seat of his motorbike. His gaze was smoldering through his one good eye, the other obscured by his ever-present black eyepatch. _Take the bait,_ he urged.

"You know I drive, silly." Rikku nudged the leg of his loose Rock and Republic jeans with the toe of her brown boot.

Gippal knew how to play it cool. "Oh, true. I guess I'll see you tomorrow night, then?"

"Are we going to The Place, down on 52nd?" Rikku asked.

"Yeah, like at nine or something. T, Wakka, Paine, Baralai, and Lulu are supposed to be going." Gippal counted off his normal group of friends on his fingers.

"Great, so you're picking me up, then?" Rikku's smile was so cherubic that the tops of her cheeks nearly touched her eyes.

"Yeah, _now_ you need me." Gippal rolled his eyes playfully. "See you later, Cid's Girl!"

Rikku flicked him off good-naturedly as he strapped his helmet on and straddled his bike. Gippal stared through his dark visor at her retreating form.

_She thinks I'm not onto her,_ he thought. _I'll have her soon enough._

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"You're running a bit late," Tidus remarked, watching Yuna rifle through the revoltingly organized belongings in her locker. She'd arrived to meet him at their usual spot in front of her locker bank just a moment ago, and, as usual, seemed annoyingly distracted by _something. _But Tidus couldn't quite put his finger on what.

"Sorry," Yuna mumbled without meaning it, shoving a pink notebook into her huge purse. She slammed her locker closed and turned to him. He stared down at her accusingly, blocking her exit with one hand against the row of lockers behind her.

"What?" she demanded furrowing her perfectly arched eyebrows. Her neatly trimmed, long bobbed hair hit her shoulders with such uncanny precision that Tidus was more than a little intimidated.

"Nothing," Tidus relented, dropping his arm and pretending to swipe at an invisible fly on his dark blue hoodie.

Yuna rolled her cat-like eyes and click-clacked in her silver mules down the hallway. Tidus obediently followed. He was beyond used to her whole no-bullshit attitude. He wondered why he set himself up for such treatment from someone who barely even went outside of her room on a Saturday night.

Once they had reached the parking lot, Tidus led Yuna to his shiny black SUV. Just to be a smart ass, he walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her, bowing dramatically.

Yuna shoved passed him. "Grow up."  
"What's got you in a mood today?" Tidus snorted, walking back to the driver's side and scooting in behind the steering wheel.

Yuna was quiet for a moment as Tidus pulled out of his parking space and off campus into the afternoon traffic. "Just a little stress," she answered finally, staring at nothing outside the window.

"Over what? Which shoes to wear to school on Monday?" Tidus meant to sound light-hearted, but he ended up sounding like an insensitive dick.

"I have an extremely important audition that could determine my acceptance into UB," Yuna said coldly.

"Oh," Tidus nodded his head like he understood. He knew Yuna was involved in some kind of theatrical arts. "No-junk-eating, Yevon-worshiping, astronomically-high-GPA-boasting University of Bevelle? Dream big."

"At least I'm _planning_ on going to a university," Yuna retorted. "I'd be interested in hearing what your great aspirations are for post-graduation."

Tidus chuckled and strummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he coasted past the towering apartments, among which Yuna's penthouse resided. The tight-ass had lip.

"Building schoolhouses out of mud for underprivileged children in Killika," Tidus answered. "Then establishing a plan to end world hunger while subsequently filming a documentary on rescuing baby dolphins."

Yuna snorted and shook her head. "Fascinating."

Upon parallel parking between two cars next to the sidewalk in front of Yuna's building, Tidus cut the engine to his car. Yuna began to unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Wait." Tidus retrieved a carton of cigarettes from his gym shorts pocket and shook two out, offering one to Yuna. "Smoke?"

Yuna seemed tempted, but quickly shook her head and opened her door. "No thanks, I have a lot of studying to catch up on."

Tidus shrugged, but before she closed her door after she got out, he said, "Hey, a bunch of us are heading to The Place tomorrow night. You can join us if you want."

"I'll take a raincheck," Yuna replied, glancing at the time on her cell phone. "My audition's tomorrow afternoon. I'll probably be exhausted afterwards."

"Okay, suit yourself." Tidus shrugged again and watched her walk up to the doorman in front of her apartment and greet him. He didn't know why he had even invited her in the first place. Usually Rikku ended up dragging Yuna along with her, anyway.

Tucking that notion away, Tidus put his car back into gear and drove off to head home.

**A/N:** So how am I doing? Am I doing a decent job with establishing each person's character?

By the way, I do all traditional couplings, and nobody is OOC except for Tidus and Yuna, a little bit each.

Please review, guys. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I love that you guys are interested in the story so far. :) Your words mean a lot.

**Chapter 3**

"Hi Mom." Yuna breezed past her mother, Endrea Braska, upon entering her penthouse from the elevator. A crystal chandelier hung unnecessarily from the ceiling of the spacious living room, highlighting all of the expensive furniture done in bronzes and deep burgundys, the fluffy, cream-colored carpet, the ridiculously large wide-screened plasma television, and the rest of the Braska family's exceeding wealth. The rest of their home was done up much the same way. Sometimes, Yuna found herself embarrassed by her mother and father's outlandishly overpriced décor. Because they made good money didn't mean they should invest in useless additions to their home like gold-plated toilet seats and ultra-machinized vacuum cleaners, did it? It was just plain tacky.

"Yuna, sweetheart, won't you sit down and have a cup of tea with me?" Endrea requested, rising from the couch she resided on and carefully setting her book down on the glass coffee table. "We need to catch up. We haven't spoken in a while, dear."

Endrea's impeccably angled face and sharp cheekbones reminded Yuna of the Zanarkand model that her mother used to be. At fourty two, she remained beautiful. Her platinum bob was freshly highlighted and her lithe frame remained slim and toned from Pilates. Her face was close to wrinkle-free thanks to a recent round of Botox. Yuna could see the green coloring and cat-like shape of her mother's eyes that'd she'd inherited.

"No thank you, Mom," Yuna declined, taking two baby steps toward the hallway. "I have to go over my monologue for my audition tomorrow."

To be completely honest with herself, Yuna inwardly cringed every time either her mother or her father mentioned spending any kind of quality time with her. Lately especially, she'd much rather be alone and do more productive things than to sit through idle small-talk with her mother over expensive tea.

"Okay, well, we should spend some time together soon," Endrea insisted, fanning her hand dismissively. "I'll book us a day for a spa treatment. Daddy should be gone next weekend."

"Why does Daddy have so many business trips?" Yuna inquired. She may not have been family oriented, but she still prefered to have her entire family at home where she knew where they were. Like the rest of her life, Yuna liked things to be where they were supposed to be. "He works far too hard for someone his age."

"He's fine, dear," Endrea reassured her with a smile. "He works hard to support this family so that we have the pleasure of living very comfortable lives. We should appreciate him more for it."

"I guess you're right," Yuna agreed distractedly, and then began to walk backwards slowly toward the hallway. "I'm going to go get started on my lines. And I already ate, so you can tell Diana." Diana was the Braska's housekeeper. Currently, she must have been out running an errand.

Once in the confinement of her room, Yuna sat her bag down right by her computer desk and kicked off her shoes, placing them right in between her black gladiator sandals and three-inch satin pumps inside her walk-in closet. Yuna's room was decently accomadable with a queen-sized bed with pink satin sheets, a study desk, vanity mirror, and dresser tucked away in different corners, and her own bathroom. A flat TV was mounted against the wall centered directly in front of her bed. Yuna loved her room and all the privacy it provided, and spent the majority of her time in it.

Yuna muttered to herself, racking off the beginning lines of her monologue as she undressed. She had memorized the majority of it, but paused during some parts to try and recollect which line came before another.

She had chosen a monologue that would envoke a powerful meaning. She admired the character in her piece, how she hailed from high aristocracy and let the world know it. She was completely comfortable with herself and didn't give a damn if anybody dissapproved of her. She was strong; admirable. Yuna felt just a little bit proud of herself as she uttered the lines under her breath, stripping down to her underwear. To even pretend to be somebody like that felt like an honor.

Yuna discarded her clothes into the hamper in her closet, and reached for a pair of little cotton shorts before her iPhone suddenly rang out a Britney Spears melody inside her bag. She hurried over and dug inside for it, tapping the screen without really checking it and then holding it to her ear in one fluid motion. "Hello?"

"I know you must be swamped," a boyish voice greeted Yuna's ears sarcastically. "But I still have one burning question."

"Is that you, Tidus?" Yuna held the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she wriggled into her shorts. Why in the _world_ would he be calling her? How did he even get her number in the first place?

"No, it's the pizza guy." Tidus' voice sounded like an eye roll. "Yeah, it's me."

Yuna had been on the phone with Tidus for all fifteen seconds and she was already annoyed. "How did you get my number?" She walked back into her closet and grabbed an old, ripped band tee.

"I've had your number," Tidus clarified. Yuna could hear him cut the engine to his car in the background. "We exchanged at that one pizza place a couple of months ago."

Yuna had to rack her brain to remember hanging out at a greasy pizza parlor with Rikku, Tidus and Gippal over the summer. She did recall a conversation, albeit brief, with Tidus that ended with him swiping her cell phone and programming his number in while she did the same. "Oh, yeah."

"Anyway," Tidus continued, as if Yuna's quick memory relapse had been nothing but an interruption. "About my burning question: I've been a little behind in AP Bio and want to know if you'd mind studying with me."

Yuna blanched. Study with _him_? Didn't he have one of his meathead blitzball friends to copy off of? Then again, if Yuna really thought about it, none of them could manage any AP class, let alone one that required labwork. She sighed. But if that were the case, how had Tidus ended up in AP Biology in the first place? His easy-going attitude could hardly qualify for any type of success in such a rigorous course. Either way, she had better things to do than to tutor a lazy, stoner, good-for-nothing like Tidus.

"Yes, I would mind," Yuna enunciated every syllable of her words, sharpening them like knives. "You should try taking notes like everybody else."

"Kind of figured you would see it that way," Tidus responded easily. "But I'll have you know that that class is one of the only one's I'm failing, and I need my final science credit."

"Really?" Yuna pretended to be shocked. "I would figure between smacking a ball around underwater and chain-smoking until your lungs turn black, you would find some time in your daily activities to finish a paper or prepare a few flash cards."

Yuna dug her words as deep as she could into Tidus, but she could only cut so deep considering she barely knew him. But if he was even the slightest bit affected, he didn't show it. "I've been cutting down," Tidus replied, coating his speech with his signature dry humor. "I only smoke a quarter pack on a good day."

Yuna jaw tightened. What could she possibly do to get him to leave her alone?

"You're like, the smartest girl in our class." Tidus seemed to realize that his earlier approach was going no where. "And there's no way I'm failing and jeopardizing any chance of me escaping that hell hole. We don't even have to be friends, I just need a little bit of help."

He almost seemed a little desperate, and Yuna wanted to let his words sit so she could soak in his neediness. It was nice to have this little bit of power; a little bit of control. She sat down at her vanity and began to remove her makeup with a clean baby wipe while she considered.

"Fine," she agreed. "But this is not going to become some coffeehouse, study-session shit. I'll come over twice a week to go over notes and help you make some flash cards. That's my limit."

"I knew you'd come around." Tidus's voice was almost smug, and made Yuna briefly consider changing her mind. "I'll talk to you more about it later, though. I have some business to attend to at the moment."

"Don't let me keep you," Yuna said, before pulling her phone away from her ear and ending the conversation by tapping the screen again.

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Lying shirtless on his back atop the blue comforters on his large bed, Tidus slid his phone shut and gazed at the ceiling above him. Typical posters of his favorite movies and iconically curvaceous females hung on random places on the slate grey walls of his room. An entertainment system designed for a living room but installed directly in front of his bed took up a lot of space on the wall in front of him. The closet to his far right was exploding with the latest in Ralph Lauren, Armani, and Abercrombie and Fitch--all sent to him by his erratic mother whom was completely convinced that he would actually wear shit like that. The large window that took up a good portion of space on his wall to the left poured in just the right amount of light from the setting sun through his blinds. His hardwood floor glistened, and on it lay Blink, his miniature Yorkee-poodle, asleep.

In reguards to the "business" Tidus was supposed to be "attending to," he slid his phone back open, scrolling through his contacts with his touch screen until he came upon Gippal's number. He quickly selected it.

Gippal picked up on the third ring. "Yo."

"Hey," Tidus greeted his old friend, eyeing his bedside table on his left. "I'm not doing anything right now, you want to come over?"

"Now?" Gippal sounded a little surprised. "Dude, I just got home."

"I know," Tidus said. "But I manage to score some goods today, and my dad's not due home for another three or four hours."

"Dude!" Gippal exclaimed; a total change of heart. "Nice. That sounds like just what I need right now. Want me to call Wakka and Baralai?"

"What the fuck do I look like?" Tidus spat. "I only have enough for me and you. Plus I think Wakka's at an extra practice and Baralai's at work."

"Makes sense," Gippal relented. "I'll be over in ten."

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Within just a half hour of Gippal's arrival, both he and Tidus were baked like bread. They sat on the dark hardwood in front of Tidus's bed with two Xbox 360 controllers clutched in their hands. Their eyes were bloodshot, as if they'd just applied a fresh coat of crimson eyeliner. They stared blankly at Call of Duty on Tidus's television, a tall, customized bong nestled between them.

"Duuuude," Gippal drawled, laying his head back against the bed as his character was slaughtered on screen. "This has to be the best shit I've had in a while." He sat his controller down and turned to bend his head down to the bong below him for another hit.

Through Tidus's foggy, stoned mind, he could still distinguish Gippal's typical senselessness. "You have some kind of a complex, man." Tidus shook his head, attempting to address Gippal's general lack of vocabulary while under the influence(using words such as "dude" and "shit" far too frequently), but to no avail. Gippal inhaled deeply, his mouth against the water pipe, effectively ignoring him.

"Mmm," Gippal sighed afterwards, releasing a humungous cloud of organic smoke into the air. Tidus briefly noted that he'd have to Febreeze the room down later, but knew he'd soon forget.

"Hey, you're hogging all of it." Tidus slid the bong toward himself, lowering his head and sucking in the biggest hit that his lungs could hold. He held the smoke inside of him; it stung his throat painfully, begging to be released, but Tidus had become so used to the feeling that the sting could have been a warm sip of green tea. He let the weed seep into his brain and numb his senses to a comfortably familiar dimness. It felt like throwing a blanket over his body, or diving into a deep ocean: everything blurry, dark, and peaceful. Tidus tried to absorb all of those wonderful feelings before releasing the burning smoke.

His body felt like hot jelly as he stood up and walked toward his open window, staring out at the city before him. He could hear Gippal mumbling to himself behind him.

Most people in the city of Zanarkand were aware of who Tidus and his friends were. The smartest, the hottest, and the richest. Everybody in his usual gang--which included Rikku, Baralai, Lulu, Gippal, Wakka, and Paine--hailed from higher society. Zanarkand's Finest, they were sometimes nicknamed. Tidus, for example, resided in the Kingston Lofts, of which his father, a skilled architect, designed. Gippal's mother, in another instance, was partnered with Lulu's father in one of the best lawfirms in the city. Thus, because of Tidus and his friend's wealthy and powerful backgrounds, a lot of pressure is implemented when they'd be expected to go to the same Yevon-oriented, private colleges that their parents went to, and succeed just as efficiently. In a situation like Tidus's, where he was hardly passing a basic AP class, private college seemed like a long struggle away.

_Unlike Yuna,_ Tidus thought bitterly. _She seems to have her shit together just fine._

Tidus refused to continue his reverie, leaning ever so slightly out the window to catch the late-summer breeze. He'd have plenty of time when he was not blitzed beyond oblivion to contemplate his sudden magnetic attatchment to Yuna and her rigidly uptight ways. To think about why she seemed something of a project to him, like a bike that needed tuning up. He'd always enjoyed a challenge, and Yuna--from her remarkable study habits to her strict, unstimulated way of living--would definitely be one suitable enough. But he wondered what would compel him to desireto make such a change in Yuna, a person whom, before today, had hardly ever spoken to.

"God fucking damn it!" Tidus exclaimed suddenly, turning away from his window. "This stuff must not be working well enough." He hated and could never comprehend his uncanny abillity to think somewhat clearly and hold a train of thought steady for a ridiculous amount of time even while he was high. Wasn't this stuff supposed to _detach_ you from your thoughts? So why was he still stuck with his while Gippal sprawled haphazardly across Tidus's bed, smiling lazily with not a care in the fucking world?

"Just relax, man," Gippal said slowly. Call of Duty had been long forgotten, but apparently he hadn't bothered to shut it off. "I swear, when you lay down, it's like, uber chill-mode." He giggled slightly at his own stupid expression.

With another toke or two, Tidus hoped to be in "chill-mode" soon as well, so he could leave behind his confusing thoughts about Yuna.

**A/N: **I made this one a bit longer than the last ones. And don't be fooled; just because all of the characters seem like they're gonna be rich snobs, fear not--like I've said, I've kept every character with the personallity their supposed to have, whilst Tidus and Yuna have some minor adjustments. BTW, this story's been inspired by Cobra Starship's "Good Girls Go Bad."

Please reviewwww! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I say this all the time, but I'm still appreciating the feedback. I'm also pleased that one of my favorite authors, Kandy-Sugar(author of "His Demons"), had decided to review and read my story! (*Fangirl gush*)

Anyway. Once school starts, updating might become slower than it already is, so I'm warning you already lol.

**Chapter 4**

Yuna shivered. The weather and the air conditioning both must have been plotting against her today. Her carefully chosen outfit of a straight, black knee length skirt, three-quarter-sleeved, deep violet cowl neck blouse, and two-inch black velvet pumps reflected sheer modesty and professionalism. Unfortunately, her work was covered by a gag-inducing, mustard yellow poncho. Rain had been forecasted for most of the day, which did not coordinate well with her audition time slot. She'd thrown the rag on in haste and desperation, not wanting to tarnish her outfit's presentation with even a spot of rainwater.

A row of middle-aged drama professors sat at a long rectangular table in a typical competition-judge manner, looking bored as they shuffled through unknown documents before them. But, Yuna knew better. They were making a conscious effort to ignore the fashion felony standing in the doorway.

"Hello," Yuna greeted them nervously, yanking the damned thing over her head as quickly as she could without messing up her blown-out hairdo. She sat her belongings on a chair near the foyer of the marbled room. "How are you all today?"

"We're fine, dear." the lady at the center of the table with wild red curls swept up into a white gold hair piece spoke first, peering over her mahogany-framed glasses at Yuna. "I am Heidi Windsor, and this is Roy Mink and Lydia Horne." She gestured first to the man to her right with similar black-framed glasses and slicked back, inky hair and then the lady to her left with long gray hair, ice blue eyes and a slightly veiny complexion. Her Guado descent was becoming obvious.

"It is my honor," Yuna said regally, bowing her head as another wave of goosebumps covered her body. The room was entirely too ventilated.

"Tell us a little bit about yourself, darling," the Guado lady, Lydia, suggested. Yuna was already beginning to despise the pet names. They reminded her all too well of her mother.

"Well," Yuna began, clearing her throat slightly. "I currently attend Zanarkand High, I'm in the top rankings of my class, and I've been involved in the theatrical arts for almost eight years."

The dark-haired man, Roy, made little to no effort to conceal his snort. "Only eight years? Do you expect to be able to compete with the amount of experience students in the University of Bevelle's theatre have obtained?"

The guy was as blunt as Yuna had expected him to be; nonetheless, she'd come prepared. "I am _highly_ active in the theatrical arts," she elaborated. "I've maintained quality participation in at least four productions a year and volunteer choreography for Zanarkand Performing Arts Center's youth theatre's spring musical."

"Really?" Heidi lifted an eyebrow, then glanced down at the paper in front of her. "Well, it says here that you'll be performing a piece from _Another Knot in the String_. I happen to enjoy that play myself." She smiled a quick approval. She lifted her arms toward Yuna. "Amaze me."

Yuna took a deep yoga breath, and then slowly began, ticking off lines as they came to her head like song lyrics she'd heard a thousand times. When she finished, she waited expectantly for any sign of acknowledgement from the people in front of her. Their expressions were blank and unreadable.

"Why did you choose that monologue?" It was Lydia that spoke first.

Yuna let out a nervous breath and ran a finger absentmindedly under her eye. She began to speak, but then stopped as she noticed the dark splotch on her finger in horror. She immediately thought of how meticulously she'd applied one coat each of pale pink eyeshadow, dark brown eyeliner, and jet black mascara. She caught sight of her reflection in the glass wall behind the professor's table and beheld the telltale smudge underneath her lower lashes, and it had spread pretty obviously.

"Sorry," Yuna managed to choke out. "This is all really intimidating." She felt frustrated with herself for clamming up, but each stare of professors made her want to duck back out the door and hide.

"A bit too intimidating for you, my dear." Heidi glanced back down at her paperwork dismissively. "I don't believe that there's any place for you here in UB Theatre. I'll have to ask you to leave."

Yuna froze, and everything seemed to slow down. She could see Heidi's lips moving, an obvious indication that she was indeed speaking, but Yuna grasped no real comprehension of anything that she was saying. The oxygen slowly seeped away from her lungs, and several waves of nausea let loose throughout her body, unrelenting.

"B-but...I can't..." Yuna grabbed onto her neck, taking short quick breaths as the panic began to take shape. What was she supposed to do now? Her plans, her master's degree in law, her entire future...was gone. "You have to understand, I've...I've wanted this my entire life!"

"We have other appointments, sweetie," Roy insisted, gesturing for her to exit. Yuna's mouth fell open in disbelief. "You simply do not seem like you'd fit the UB mold."

She tried to calm her speeding heart, and swallowing what was left of her pride, turned on her two-hundred-dollar heels and left.

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Tidus swathed a thick towel around his slim hips as he checked himself out in his large bathroom mirror. His unruly blonde hair was a mess of spikey layers and damp from his thirty-minute shower. His hard, blitzer's body was chiseled to perfection thanks to a recent love affair with the bench press. His azure eyes were shining and clear of any excess redness due to any sort of intoxication. He felt proud of himself for his twenty-two hours of sobriety. It was a shame that his record would quickly be tarnished within two hour's time.

Tidus busied himself with his bathroom routine which consisted of hair toussling, face washing, and stubble shaving. After a douse of expensive aftershave, Tidus's sleek Blackberry Storm vibrated on the marble countertop. He wasn't due to leave for The Place for another hour and a half. Who could be calling him now?

"Huh-llo?" Rikku's perky, upbeat voice was almost equally as irritating muffled through a phone speaker as it was in person. Tidus could hear a heavy wind in the background, and he assumed Rikku must be speeding down 4th Avenue with the top down on her silver convertible. "Ty, have you talked to Yunie today?"

"Why would I talk to Yuna today?" Tidus put the phone on speaker and sat it back down by the sink as he brushed his teeth. "Do I _ever_ talk to Yuna?" For reasons unbeknownst to him, Tidus felt a bit defensive.

"Calm down, tiger--HEY! You should try signalling next time, buddy!" Rikku's road-rage was not a secret amongst Tidus and his friends. "I've been asking everybody. Her mom says she's been locked in her room all day and and won't speak to anyone. I want to know what's wrong with her."

"She's _always_ locked in her room, Rikku," Tidus deadpanned through a mouthful of toothpaste. "Maybe you're just overthinking things." He said it, but Tidus wasn't sure if he should believe it. _Didn't Yuna say she had something important to do today...?_

"Well, I'm headed over to her apartment right now," Rikku said. "I'll drag my cousin to The Place if I have to, but as long as we're related, I'm not tolerating her being an outcast any longer."

Tidus shook his head. Rikku's self-declared righteousness in liberating Yuna from her own captivity sounded like a failure before she could even get the full idea out. Yuna had been quiet, introverted, and almost stuck-up since the tenth grade. Would there be any possible recovery from a social recession that long? Even a self-inflicted one? That, Tidus was sure would end badly.

"Good luck with that one." Tidus spat into the golden sink. "I'll see you when you get there."

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Yuna wiped her mouth with the back of her hand in satisfaction. Around her in her immaculate bathroom, the shower, the bathtub, and the sink all ran on full blast, shooting water into the drain. With the Braska's high-intensity water pressure, the noise was loud enough to drown out a fire alarm...or the unmistakable noises of somebody making themselves violently sick.

Yuna stood and quickly flushed the toilet, making sure all of the evidence was thoroughly erased.

_You simply do not seem like you'd fit the UB mold._

The afternoon's events replayed like a horror movie throughout Yuna's head. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to break down and cry, but she willed herself not to. Instead, she chose to let out her emotions the one way she knew best.

Yuna exited her bathroom and made her way towards her huge vanity mirror. She sat down on the little stool in front of it, gazing at all of her expensive beauty products--MAC, Clinique, Benefit--of which she used frequently and generously to hide her hideous face. Then her bi-colored eyes landed on her own reflection.

_You're pathetic,_ she thought bitterly to herself. _After three years of hard work, staying out of trouble, and overall academic devotion, you're still not good enough. And you never will be._

Yuna's eyes bore into the mirror, searching deep under her own skin, inside herself for an answer--any kind of reason as to how she ended up here. Most of the supposed best years of her life she spent trying to do everything she could to act, look, and be perfect; and to Yuna, perfection was the University of Bevelle. Every student there was groomed to become Spira's cream of the crop, all of them striving for the same leading-big-shot goals. And what was she?

_I need to get out of here. _Yuna ran her fingers through her lank hair and stood. _I need a change._

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An hour and a half later, after a swift trip to LeBlanc's Red Carpet on 51st--her favorite hair salon--Yuna's hair was two inches shorter and razored into defined, rocker-chic layers that fanned around her face. When she arrived back at her apartment, however, Rikku was waiting in her living room.

"Yunie!" She exclaimed, nearly dropping her china teacup onto the teak coffee table. "What the hell happened to your hair?!"

"I wanted something different," Yuna answered breezily, pretending that Rikku's tactless comment didn't slightly offend her.

"It's different, alright." Rikku appraised her cousin, then stood from the couch and walked over to her, grasping her thin shoulders. "But listen. You _need _to go out tonight."

"I don't _need_ to do anything, Rikku." Yuna pushed Rikku's hands off her shoulders and started towards her bedroom. "Where's my mom?"

"She fixed me some tea and then left to go get a pedicure with Lulu's mom," Rikku explained. "And don't change the subject. You need to leave this apartment and go have some fun for a change!"

"Rikku, it's not like I've never been out before," Yuna said defensively, starting up the stairs. Rikku followed suit. "You've taken me to The Place a couple of times."

"Yeah and you left after like, an hour," Rikku reminded her as they entered Yuna's room. "I want you to come with me and _really_ enjoy yourself!"

Yuna loved her cousin dearly, but now she was starting to get on her nerves. "How would I enjoy myself anyway if I'm being forced to go?"

"Humor me, Yunie!" Rikku was persistent. She stood with her tiny arms folded across her modest chest. Her wheat blonde hair was undone of it's usual messy, braided bun and tumbled down her shoulders and back in loose waves. Her green eyes were bright underneath dark, evening eyeshadow, and her ivory eyelet minidress complemented her burnt orange Miu Miu heels and matching Kate Spade bag perfectly. Yuna felt a stab of envy at her close-to-effortless beauty.

"Fine, whatever," Yuna relented. "When are we supposed to go?"

"Nine. And it's eight right now, so you need to hurry up and get dressed!" Rikku commanded, shoving Yuna towards her closet. "You won't regret it, Yunie!"

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"Babe, you're hot!" Gippal cat-called as Rikku strode into the VIP lounge of The Place between 52nd and Huntington. Yuna followed closely behind, wishing she hadn't listened to her cousin. She adored her own figure-hugging, black Chanel micro-mini dress and funky Jimmy Choo emerald-and-ebony stillettos, but Yuna was still slightly green about Rikku's envy-worthy ensemble.

Rikku smiled and hollered at all of her friends, sidling down on the plush velvet couch between Gippal and Lulu. Baralai Briggs, whom Yuna vaguely recognized from her AP Spiran History class, was blowing a steady stream of air into Paine Strassman's multiply-pierced ear. She smirked a burgundy-lipsticked smirk and swatted his chest lightly with her free hand as she sipped from a martini glass with another. Wakka Hydra looked enormous and muscular next to a small and curvy Lulu. They were all laughing and having a good time, talking loudly over the bass of the thumping dance music in an effort to hear each other's inside jokes, to which they promptly cracked up together at. No one made even the slightest effort to notice Yuna or her awkward disposition in the VIP entryway. Within the first five minutes of her venture to "go out" Yuna already wanted to just go home. Suddenly, she was bumped from behind.

"Fancy meeting you here." Tidus stood behind her, slightly sweaty from dancing, not making very much effort to hide his amusement. "Sure are cute when you're all dressed up."

Yuna didn't know how she felt about the word "cute", but let the remark slide as she conjured up her own witty response. "You clean up pretty well yourself," was all she could muster, feeling as lame as she sounded. What was wrong with her?

There was truth to Yuna's words, however. Tidus's simple navy silk button down and dark jeans set off his dazzling cerulean eyes and beach blonde hair. He looked older, more mature. For the first time, Yuna noticed how attractive he actually was. A single diamond Zanarkand Abes stud sat in his left earlobe, and Yuna had the briefest and strangest fantasy of tracing her tongue along its ridges. It shocked her so intensely that she had to do a double-take in her own mind. She quickly dismissed the thought.

"Well, as long as you're here..." Tidus grasped Yuna's elbow, leading her to the cluster of lounge couches where his friends sat. He slumped into one empty space next to Rikku and put his arm around her casually, then patted the spot next to him. Yuna, refusing to be beckoned like a dog, politely squeezed in between Rikku and Gippal. Gippal welcomed her warmly as Tidus held a signal up for a waiter.

"So, Little Miss Yuna's decided to join us again, tonight," Gippal said playfully. "I guess Rikku's succeeded in explaining the importance of fresh air."

"I'd hardly call this...fresh," Yuna commented, laughing slightly as she eyed a frisky couple in the lounge booth to their left.

"You get used to it, ya?" Wakka joined in, leaning over Lulu so that Yuna could hear him. "Trust me, there are way better clubs out there."

"But this is where we usually end up for convenience," Lulu finished for him, looking ravishing, Yuna noted, in a red satin Sienna Miller frock and matching ruby earrings. "Yevon knows the people here are trash."

"I second that." Paine downed the rest of her martini and had to practically shout from the other side of Baralai. "They're all sloppy drunk or fucked up on three different drugs at once. They're practically pissing all over themselves."

"Looks like we'll have to find a new spot, eventually," Baralai added in, taking out a cigar from his shirt pocket and sticking it between his lips. "This place is getting old and tacky fast."

Yuna was surprised. Normally, Rikku's friends didn't make this much effort to speak to her. Now they were having a regular conversation as if they'd been good friends all along! She smiled to herself.

As if reading her thoughts, Rikku nudged her in the side. "See? This isn't so bad, is it?" She whispered.

"Well, I don't want to go home _yet_. I'll give you that." Yuna smirked at her.

"So, you wanna hang with the big boys, Yuna?" Tidus cocked his eyebrow just as the waiter set down a tray topped with eight shot glasses and an enormous bottle of straight Grey Goose vodka. He filled each one up exactly three quarters full and then promptly departed.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Wakka loosened a button on his classic black Brooks Brothers polo shirt, then reached for his own glass. Everyone else did the same until there was only one glass left for Yuna. She hesitated. She'd never had very many experiences with alcohol before.

"Don't wimp out now, Braska," Gippal urged, giving Yuna a once-over with his good eye. She knew everyone else was doing the same, judging her social standing.

Because Yuna and her peers were so wealthy, alcohol was easily at their disposal. Say if you slid someone a quick fifty under the table, you suddenly mattered. Which is why bartenders and club managers alike decided to overlook Tidus' and his friend's IDs and provided enough booze to get them drunk enough to be satisfied. But none of that ever seemed to contribute to the status of Yuna's perma-sobriety. She hated to loose control of her body, even to a slightly-controlled substance.

"I think I'll pass," Yuna tried to say as politely as she could. She looked down uncomfortably at her manicured hands.

"I knew it was too good to be true," Tidus muttered under his breath, before downing his own shot in one go. He hardly flinched. The rest of the group tittered, excluding Rikku and Lulu, who were a bit more sympathetic.

_How dare he say that? _Yuna thought angrily to herself. He knew close to nothing about her! Who was he to carry on making assumptions about what she would or wouldn't do? Her hand balled into a fist, and like a cobra, she reached out and snatched the last remaining glass, raised it to her glossed lips and downed it.

Immediately, she regretted it. Her throat felt like she'd shoved her three-hundred dollar curling iron down it, and the vodka swished around in her barren stomach like a splash of water in an empty well. She grimaced involuntarily. The shit tasted like acid, and Tidus was swallowing a second one as if it were apple juice.

"Good girl," Baralai said teasingly, leering at her as the corners of his lips turned upwards in amusement. He lifted the huge log of tobacco from his mouth and blew a long plume of smoke into the air lazily.

"Didn't know you had it in you," said Tidus, pouring himself more Grey Goose. "But anyone can do just one shot..."

"Ready for round two?" Lulu said devilishly, grinning wickedly as she handed Yuna her glass, but refilled.

Yuna had barely recovered from the first. "Fine," she relented.

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After five more rounds of shots and then one more of some lighter cranberry cocktails, Yuna's tongue felt like lead in her mouth. The muscles in her body were loose and tingling. Her eyes were heavy-lidded and relaxed. She felt...peaceful.

When her cocktail had been finished, she'd promptly left the VIP lounge in favor of the dance floor. She was currently sandwiched almost erotically in between Tidus, who faced her back, and Gippal, who faced her front. A latin remix of a Pitbull single was playing so loudly that Yuna's eardrums were ringing, but she could hardly feel them. Maybe the alcohol was exactly what she needed.

But soon, she started to feel a bit dizzy. "I hafta take a break real fast," Yuna slurred to Tidus or Gippal, she wasn't sure which, before ambling her way through the crowd of moving, sweaty bodies. Her vision swirled and dimmed in front of her. Her limbs felt weak and her stomach was twisting and gurgling so intensely that it was almost painful. She didn't know what was happening to herself.

Once outside on the club's second floor balcony, Yuna took a huge gulp of fresh air, then immediately dry-heaved into the nearby waste bin. But Yuna's stomach had nothing left to offer. She stood and scanned the area, and once noting that no one else was around, she kicked off her impractical shoes and slumped against the wall closest to the door. Her eyes were having a severely hard time focusing. She couldn't even think straight.

"What's eating you?" Yuna looked up at Tidus as he came over from the entrance of the balcony to stand in front of her. Her offered a shaky hand. Yuna took it hesitantly and stumbled after she was pulled to her feet. Sans heels, Yuna drunkenly observed her and Tidus's five inch height difference.

"Whaddoya mean what's eating me?" Yuna blubbered. "I feel like shit!"

"I didn't realize you're a light weight," Tidus remarked stupidly, considering Yuna's petite frame and stature. "Maybe you should just cool off here for a little bit."

"Why'd you follow me up here?" Yuna focused as hard as she could to try and find her sober center.

"Worried about you," Tidus admitted. "You didn't look too hot in there."

"Well aren't you such a gentleman," Yuna said snidely. "Why would you care if I didn't 'look too hot'?"

Tidus gazed down at Yuna, assessing her mood. His eyes were smoldering, as if laying down a silent demand. With the assured confidence only a half-drunk man could have, he leaned down and swiftly caught her mouth with his, trapping her body between himself and the brick wall behind them. The kiss was slow, but hungry and fierce as Yuna's lips parted to allow his tongue access. One of his hands ran slowly up her thigh, hiking her dress up to reveal her sheer lace thong, and the other lay on the curve of her torso, drifting dangerously closer to her chest.

Suddenly, like a light switch being turned off, Yuna came to her senses. She wrenched her lips away and pushed her hands against Tidus's chest. "Get offa me!"

"What's wrong?" Tidus look confused, watching as Yuna wriggled her dress back down and slipped her shoes on. He moved to grab her arm before she could leave.

"Keep your hands off me," Yuna spat, then walked back through the door into the club, leaving Tidus standing alone, puzzled, and drunk.

**A/N:** Alright. I know what you all are thinking. But don't be alarmed, things are definitely not moving too fast, there is STILL a plot! And Tidus and Yuna's surprise hook up is only part one. :)


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